India on Wednesday said that with the inscription of Deepavali on the intangible cultural heritage list, UNESCO has honoured the eternal human longing for renewal, peace and the triumph of good.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat delivered the statement on behalf of the country right after the inscription was announced during a key meeting of UNESCO at the Red Fort in Delhi.
Deepavali -- the festival of light -- is one of the timeless festivals of India, which is also now celebrated in many other parts of the world.
On this occasion, people decorate their homes with traditional lamps or 'diya', and buildings are illuminated, presenting a dazzling sight at night.
The decision was taken during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
Chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' rent the air as UNESCO announced that the celebrated festival has been added to the coveted list.🔴 BREAKING
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) December 10, 2025
New inscription on the #IntangibleHeritage List: Deepavali, #India🇮🇳.
Congratulations!https://t.co/xoL14QknFp #LivingHeritage pic.twitter.com/YUM7r6nUai
Artists dressed in different traditional attire performed in front of the main stage while images of the Deepavali festival played on the big screen.
Shekhawat and other members of the Indian contingent sported a traditional headgear to mark the occasion.
"For every Indian, Deepavali is deeply emotional, it is felt, lived, absorbed across generations," he said.
The Union minister said that with this inscription, "UNESCO honours the eternal human longing for renewal, peace and the triumph of good".
He said from potters to artisans, millions of hands keep this heritage alive. This UNESCO tag is also a responsibility, and "we must ensure Deepavali remains a living heritage," Shekhawat said.
Our children must know that Deepavali is the festival of Ram Rajya, i e, good governance, he said.
He said that on the coming Deepavali, people should "light and extra lamp, a lamp of gratitude, a lamp of peace, a lamp of shared humanity, and a lamp of good governance".
This is the first time that India is hosting a meeting of the UNESCO panel.
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India already has 15 other elements inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including the Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting and Ramlila - the traditional performance of the epic 'Ramayana'.
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